


Lucky One

by Irhaboggles



Category: Supergirl (TV 2015)
Genre: Based on a Taylor Swift Song, Jealous Kara Danvers, Kara Danvers Needs a Hug, Lena Luthor Knows Kara Danvers Is Supergirl, Lena Luthor Needs a Hug, Minor Kara Danvers/Lena Luthor, Song: The Lucky One (Taylor Swift), SuperCorp, minor supercorp - Freeform, slight supercorp - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-08
Updated: 2020-04-08
Packaged: 2021-03-02 00:53:28
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,962
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23536342
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Irhaboggles/pseuds/Irhaboggles
Summary: Each chapter is a stand-alone where Kara (and then Lena) reflect on where their lives have led. Inspired by the Taylor Swift song of the same name. AU on S2 and the start of S5 respectively.
Kudos: 5





	1. Yeah, They'll Tell You Now

"New to town with a made-up name, in the shining city, chasing fortune and fame. And the camera flashes make it look like a dream," Kara stared up at all the banners hanging around the city, each of them emblazoned with her cousin's face. Even though this was her city and not his, he was such a legend that the entire world celebrated him. It didn't matter that he was no longer around, his birthday was just about a global holiday at this point. And now, seeing that handsome picture upon such marvelous banners, Kara was taken back to the time when they first met. He had already been fairly well along in his superhero career when she arrived to Earth and, back then, she felt just as starstruck by him as any normal human would be. She could still remember her awe as she first learned of the life her cousin had made for himself here on Earth. Seeing all these banners took her back to that time and a large wave of nostalgia, both good and bad, washed over her.

"You had it figured out since you were in school. Everybody loves pretty, everybody loves cool. So over time, you turned into a new hero. Another name goes up in lights, like diamonds in the sky…" Already Kara could see it in her mind's eye, the story of Superman: a small-town boy from the heart of Kansas. A nothing and a nobody. But after harnessing his powers and gifts, he became the legendary champion, savior, hero and protector of his new home city. He became a legend and everyone knew his name. Not a soul alive remained ignorant to his heroic deeds and only a sparse few reviled him for it. The rest of the world was in love with the mighty Man of Steel.

"And they'll tell you now, you're the lucky one. Yeah, they'll tell you now, you're the lucky one," Kara spoke to one of the banners. "But can you tell me now, you're the lucky one?" because although a small part of Kara envied her cousin's fame and adoration, because she connected with him on a level humans couldn't even dream of, there was a small piece of her that could not help but wonder. Was he truly lucky? Was he truly happy? Sure, his face was emblazoned in everyone's mind, associated with words like "good", "strong", "honest" and "just", but was it really all it was cracked up to be? Or were Kara's doubts only envies manifesting in a twisted hope, a hope that maybe Superman was not as happy as he seemed because a small part of her still loathed the idea of him being _this_ successful without her?

"Now it's big black cars, and Riviera views, and your fanbase on this planet doesn't truly know you," Kara sighed as she continued along down the streets, Superman's face still everywhere. The truth was, even though he was practically a celebrity, Kara knew all too well what that sort of fame did to a person. Sure, the entire globe knew his name and his legacy, but did they really know _him_? No. They didn't. And what a lonely life that must've been for the Man of Steel.

"Then your secrets end up splashed on the news front page," Kara shook her head, thinking about the likes of Lex Luthor, the collection of beings who despised the Man of Steel. If dealing with people like Lex was the price one would pay for Superman-level fame, was it really worth it? And not only that, but in some strange way, Lex probably did know the real Superman better than anyone else. Maybe he did not know Superman's civilian identity, but he knew more about what made Superman tick than most of the rest of the population of Earth. What did that say about a person when the one who knew him best was his worst enemy?

"And they tell you that you're lucky. But you're so confused. Because you don't feel famous, you just feel used…" Just for a second, Kara even felt bad for Lex. He and Superman were both in this wicked game of life, even if neither of them had ever intended to play. Even though Lex was Superman's opposite in every possible way, the one thing that still connected them both was the attention the rest of the world gave them. Even if one was seen as a hero and the other a villain, both were often the subject of hot gossip and intrigue. Did it ever get tiring to be Lex Luthor? Constantly speculated about? Yes, he wanted the attention, but was _this_ it? Or was a small part of him as frustrated as his biggest rival?

"And all the young thieves line up to take your place…" now Kara's attentions turned to herself. After Superman, other heroes began popping up across the globe. Some of them even did try to "usurp" Superman's position as the strongest and most famous of all. And Kara counted herself among that number. Even though there was no monopoly on the "superhero industry", she could not deny all the wannabes that she had seen during her time on Earth, and even she was one of them, trying to find her own place in the world in a position that would both rival and balance her cousin's. She did not necessarily wish to "dethrone" him as the world's best hero, but she could not deny some desire to be seen as every bit of the superhero that her cousin was.

"Another name goes up in lights. You wonder if you'll make it out alive," now she was referring to both herself and Superman, because she was starting to truly follow in his footsteps. Her desire to be a hero just like her cousin was starting to become reality and she wasn't quite sure how to feel about it, or how to handle it. Sure, she knew how to fly and smile and save the day, but how did she really feel about all of it? That was a question she was certain no one had the answer to. And maybe they never would. Because a few years later after Superman started looking towards retirement, a peaceful and quiet life with the woman he loved, Kara showed up.

Even though she had taken upon her own superhero persona and mantle, the world still told the legend of how Superman disappeared. He was still alive, they knew, but he was no longer around to save the day and fight in epic battles like he used to. Instead, he took his lover and his dignity and then got out of dodge as fast as he could.

"They say you bought a bunch of land somewhere, chose a rose garden over Madison Square," Kara murmured, thinking about all the rumors swirling around about what had become of Superman now that he was retired. Some said he had gone to the place that raised him. Others guessed he was hidden in the Fortress of Solitude. And others still speculated that he wasn't even on Earth anymore. But no matter the truth, it was all a general agreement that he had turned away from a life of fame and fortune to choose something much more humble and hidden. Perhaps some people understood, arguing that the hero essentially wanted a life-long break from all the chaos he'd endured so far, but most people were in disbelief. Even if he was tired of constantly risking his neck for others, how could someone as friendly and charismatic as Superman wish to turn down a life of publicity and praise? Even Kara had not understood it at first.

"How can you just give up on so much?!" she had demanded of him once.

"Because I'm tired, Kara," he replied, his eyes speaking words his mouth never could. "Oh believe me, I love this planet and I love all the people on it, but I'm tired. This life no longer fulfills me the way it used to. Now I'm looking for a new dream, and towards a new vision."

"But how?" Kara could still only protest and shake her head in disbelief (and maybe a bit of envy). "How can you turn away from it all? Not just the people, but all the ease and comfort a life like this could offer?" but Superman had been unable to offer an answer Kara could fathom. Instead, he only gave her a teary smile before hugging her farewell and leaving with his new bride-to-be.

And it took some time, but Kara understood it now.

"Cause now my name is up in lights," she said, referring to her own blooming legacy as a superhero. "But I think you got it right," because although Kara was finally, finally, finally getting a chance to carve out her own name and story, it came at very steep prices. Death, despair, deceit, disagreement, discomfort. All the things she knew Superman had dealt with too were finally her own burdens to bear and they were worse than she had thought. They were not unbearable, but they were more pressing and taxing than she had first assumed. Now she finally knew why Superman had chosen a harder but freer life over an easy but stifling one. Sure, the hero gig was great. Nothing gave Kara more joy than to help people! But at the same time, for every compliment and offer for help that she received, something would rear its ugly head to match. But Superman? He was free. He had not a care in the world. He was… normal.

Oh, perhaps he would never completely be normal. And he would, of course, face the usual challenges of life, but the sort of treachery and danger he faced while in cape and suit was over. Now his biggest concern was keeping his wife happy. That was hardly a challenge when compared to Luthor battles and family fights. There were no more secrets, no more wars, no more Kryptonite. While Kara was thrown into political and public squabbles, the PR and enemies alike hunting her down nonstop, Superman got to kick back with his wife and truly live life on his own terms. He had time to learn, explore and grow. Kara was ever on alert. No wonder he had given up this life despite still being so young and healthy. Had the godlike power and immortality he had before been worth the constant strain and stress that came with it?

Now Kara could only see her own face on the banners. Even though Superman was still celebrated to this very day, he was happy and free. She, meanwhile, was a slave both to those whom she served and those whom she fought against. While Superman could kick back and enjoy life, Kara still had so many masks to don and tasks to do. It was a wonderful life, yes, but it was taxing and confusing. It was scary and endless. She would never take a single fan of hers for granted, but sometimes it was hard having to hold her head high day after day.

And even more so, she felt alone. Yes, she had Alex, J'onn, Winn, James, Lena and all the others, but it was not quite how Kara truly wanted it. Kara wanted what Superman had: a Lois Lane. Maybe that sounded petty, cruel, selfish and needlessly jealous, but it was true. Kara knew full well she did not need a lover to be happy, but that did not mean she wasn't still lonely occasionally. She wanted a Lois too. But in her line of work, that was hard to come by. Superman surely had been the lucky one to find the woman he did, and Kara envied him for it. She felt bad for being so jealous, but it was hard to control. She never wished ill upon either of them, but it would be a lie to say that she did not wish that maybe a… _certain someone_ could look at her the same way Superman looked at Lois.

Kara could only stare enviously upward. This time, though, she was not looking at all the posters and pictures of her cousin. She was looking to the sky, where Superman and his wife lived many lightyears away. Even after all these years, she was still jealous of him, and still feeling as if she were forever stuck in his shadow. All the things he learned and did, she needed extra years to catch up and learn herself. While he already had it all figured out, she was still guessing, caught right in the endless crossfire. It really was fitting that envy was color-coded as green, because it hurt just as much as a certain _other_ green substance Kara was painfully weak against. And both green things were the only things on Earth to get under her skin so well and so easily every single time, no matter how much she tried to harden herself against them.

But after a time, the angrier side of the jealousy faded back into a resigned but mournful longing. She loved the life she had now, yes, but that did not mean she couldn't appreciate (and yes, envy) the life Superman managed to snag for himself at the same time. But since there was nothing she could really do to remedy anything in any way, she only put her head down and kept on walking down the busy city streets, quickly blending into the crowd once more while her cousin's handsome face smiled down at her. Between the two of them, Kara knew he was the lucky one. Not because he was the better-known superhero, but because he was the happier one.

_Let me tell you now, you're the lucky one._

_And yeah, they'll tell me now I'm the lucky one._

_But can you tell me now, you're the lucky one?_

_And can you tell me how I'm the lucky one?_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AN: I can easily see Kara thinking this about her cousin after he gets to go off with Lois while she has to stay behind and essentially pick up where he left off.


	2. But Can You Tell Me How?

New to town with a brand-new name, in the shining city, chasing fortune and fame, Lena Luthor tried her best to smile and wave to the cameras. Holding her head painfully high as she did her best to look pretty, the one good Luthor had her mind set on one goal and one goal only: clearing her family name. She was just as ambitious as the rest of her family, but while their dreams had led them to destruction, she was dead set on hers leading them to salvation. She had not been in National City for long, but already every eye was turned on her. Not that she was surprised, of course. She was a Luthor, after all. And a Luthor was always the talk of every town (even if that talk was usually more negative than positive). So Lena was quite used to all the stares and whispers.

Oh well. No matter. She refused to let any of them get under her skin. And the few that did manage to slither into her mind were promptly discarded or, at the very least, ignored. It wasn't about anything or anyone except herself and her ambitions. Even if the rest of the world doubted her, she knew her intentions were pure. As such, that devotion became her foundation, both internally and externally. She knew how to stand proud and tall in the face of adversity. Those skills were being put to good use now that she was playing the New Girl in Town, taking over her evil brother's company and trying to start anew. It was why she had chosen National City, of all places. It was her hope that here, she could begin again. This was a new town and a new name, a clean slate and a fresh start.

And the camera flashes made it look like a dream. Whether they sensationalized her as a Lady Lex Luthor ("Lexy Luthor" was probably the name she hated most), or some tragic victim and martyr struggling to escape a bad family situation in search of a better life, it was always something. Something for the hungry masses to gobble up and spit back out as they wished. They didn't seem to understand how uncomfortable their speculation made her feel. But then again, when had it ever been about what Lena felt? Her emotions had always been immaterial. Even now, although her goal of clearing her family name seemed noble, there was a level of pragmaticism about it. How could she expect to go through life safely unless she did her best to clean up the family mess? If she could achieve that goal, it would make things much easier on her.

And she'd had it figured out since she was in school. Even as a youngster at some fancy, private, boarding institution, she had been driven and cunning enough to know what she wanted and what she needed to do in order to get it. That much had never changed for her. Everybody loved pretty, everybody loved cool. So overnight, she became a tragic queen. Playing the role of a hardworking CEO and combining it with a tragic but earnest and hopeful mask, Lena started the first chapter of her story in National City. It was the same way her brother or mother might've acted if they had been in her place. All the Luthors knew how to win over a crowd. It was genetic. And in fact, Lena could even see it in her mind's eye: the day her father first created his company. Back then, it had been called LuthorCorp. And when it took its first breath of life, another name went up in lights like diamonds in the sky. Now LuthorCorp was seeing a rebirth. A new town, a new name: L-Corp.

And they'd tell her now, she was the lucky one.

"You're lucky you're so rich! I wish I had that much money!"

"You're lucky you have a company! You'll never have to worry about going out of a job!"

"You're lucky you have so much power and prestige! You can get, or do, just about anything you want!"

"You're lucky you're not in jail like the rest of your family. I don't know what your secret is, but it won't work forever…"

"It's just dumb luck you haven't been arrested yet!"

"It's just dumb luck you're still seen as innocent."

"I bet the family name and money bought you a Get Out of Jail Free card, huh?"

"How long before your luck runs out, hmmm?"

But was she really the lucky one?

 _Now it's big black cars, and Riviera views. And the people in the foyer do not truly know you. And your secrets end up splashed on the news front page…_ Lena tossed the newspaper aside. Another day, another name, another speculation, another story. Truth and lies combined to create tales of intrigue that were half-baked, poorly-written and mostly sensationalized. Even the few grains of truth in the stories earned Lena's ire, to say nothing of all the made up portions.

 _And they tell you that you're lucky. But you're so confused. 'Cause you don't feel pretty. You just feel used_. Lena really would never know how or why people could care so much about her personal life. Even if they distrusted her that much that they had nothing better to do other than suspect her for every little thing that went wrong in the city (including inclement weather), it still seemed excessive. And yet the press still had the gall to act as if she were lucky and spoiled. They took one look at her company, her suits and dresses, her money, and they would laugh. They would insist she was like a spoiled little princess, rich and rotten. What worries did someone like her possess when she could pay away her cares? That's what they seemed to think. Were they unable to remember their constant assaults against her? True, nothing physical ever happened, but it would be false to say that life was easy as a Luthor. It boggled the mind, to say the least.

Then all the young thieves would line up to take her place. From all over the world, friends and foes came to meet the only Luthor that was still alive and out of jail. Businesses sometimes came in order to broker peace with her in hopes that they could use her reputation and resources to their own benefit. Other times, they came to slander her, seeing her as competition that needed to be knocked out of the game at once. And old Luthor friends would sometimes visit in hopes of doing the same, wishing to seduce her back to the dark side. Or they would simply attempt to assassinate her. Lena actually had since started betting with herself on what each new visit would bring. It always ended in a death-threat, but the question was of whether or not the conversation would start out that way, or if the speaker would attempt to win her over first.

Either way, National City received a lot of attention with a new Luthor in town. Heroes, villains, businesses and politicians all wanted a piece of the action. _Another name goes up in lights. You wonder if you'll make it out alive_ … And they'd tell her now, she was the lucky one. But was that really true? The only thing that ever made Lena feel even remotely lucky was when Supergirl came in for the inevitable first confrontation between the second Luthor and Super. Although it began terse and tense, it ended far better. Lena's earnestness and honesty managed to sway the Girl of Steel and the two entered an alliance. Then it went up from there.

Eager to prove herself as a good woman, Lena jumped at every chance she could to work alongside the Girl of Steel. Their alliance finally bloomed into a friendship. The warmth and sincerity was no longer just formal. It was real and it was _wonderful_. It was the first time in her life where Lena ever felt truly lucky. Somehow, she'd finally done something right and she had won the heart of the very same girl who had already won hers. Perhaps Lena would never admit it, but her destiny had been intertwined with Supergirl's from the very beginning.

All the way just after Lex Luthor had finally been arrested, Supergirl made her first appearance onto the scene. National City was where she had set up base. Seeing that, Lena jumped at the chance to move in with her, actively choosing the LuthorCorp base in National City to set up her new headquarters. It had not merely been chance that Lena chose the National City LuthorCorp tower. She had wanted to live there from the start, the second she realized Supergirl lived in National City too.

"A Luthor and a Super living together in the same city? What an opportunity that would be! What a symbolic gesture!" she had said, and she didn't look back even once as she made the move to National City. And from that first day, she'd kept as close an eye on Supergirl as the rest of the city kept on her. But while they watched her with distrust and distaste, Lena had watched Supergirl with the exact opposite. It was an awe that turned into infatuation that turned into attraction. To have Supergirl as a friend meant so much to Lena on so many levels.

But then a few years later, things took a turn for the worst (again). Lena suddenly found herself alone again, all the way back at square one for the millionth time in her miserable, unlucky little life. Learning that Kara Danvers and Supergirl were the same person had been a devastating blow to her and every day was like a battle trying to keep it together and keep it inside, rather than letting all that anger out the way she wanted. But because she could not afford to lose her head just yet, she pulled out all the stops on her skills of bottling up her emotions and never once did anyone suspect a thing from her. Instead, she still played the role of the dutiful friend and Token Good Luthor. But she was as far away from that mental space as it was possible to get.

But they still told the legend of how she first appeared. Now the city loved her, praising her right alongside Supergirl and the other "Super-friends", as they were called. Now when voices spoke Lena's name, they were full of adoration and admiration. And her name was seldom spoken without Supergirl's somewhere close by. It seemed that the city was finally ready to accept them as a dynamic duo, a dream team! It was just unfortunate that Lena, herself, no longer wanted any it. But wasn't that the luck of a Luthor? She finally had everything she could've ever wanted, and now she wanted nothing more than to get rid of all of it.

Now, not a day passed where she didn't wish she had just taken her money and her dignity and gotten the Hell out. But now it was too late. She was locked into the life she'd chosen with no way out. All she could do was what she always had in all of her days before: smile and wave to the flashing cameras, try her best to look pretty and convincing. Just like before, just like all those years ago, she was doing her best to sway the press once again. The only difference was that this time, she was also tricking her "friends" and she wanted nothing more for this entire nightmare to have never happened. She was still convincing the press she was good, but she wanted none of it anymore.

They didn't seem to understand how uncomfortable their adoration made her feel. They were sensationalizing her again, and it was still as embarrassing for her as ever. She was still nothing more than a consumable good in the public eye, even if she was now lauded as a hero rather than a villain. But then again, when had it ever been about what Lena felt? Her emotions had always been immaterial. Even now, although her goal of being good (even if it was just an act) seemed noble, there was a level of pragmaticism about it. How could she expect to go through life safely unless she did her best to behave? If she could achieve that goal, it would make things much easier on her. She knew how to stand proud and tall in the face of adversity. Those skills were being put to good use now that she was playing the New Hero and trying to start anew. Again. And she'd had it figured out since she was in school. Everybody loved pretty, everybody loved cool. So overnight, she became a brand-new queen.

But every time Lena would go home, she would be alone once more. Only her thoughts could keep her company, and they were always filled with anger, hurt and envy. They would tell her now, she was the lucky one. She'd done everything she'd ever set out to do. She was a hero. But this wish had been fulfilled in the worst way possible, the price so steep that it honestly wasn't worth it anymore. Lena could only find herself envying the masses once again. Even if they cheered her name now rather than spat it, nothing else had changed. They were still so blind and stupid, and Lena envied them for it. She wanted to go back. She wanted to be just like them. Normal.

But even worse than her "anger" at the citizens of National City was her anger at Supergirl. Of course Lena was still beyond furious that such a big secret had been kept from her for so long, but a tiny piece of her understood why. She tried to deny that piece of herself, but it was persistent. Underneath all of Lena's anger, hurt and envy was understanding. She knew exactly what the secret had been kept from her, and that made her all the angrier. It would've been one thing to hate Kara unconditionally, plain and simple, but to be cursed with empathy and intelligence meant that Lena had understanding, and with understanding, it was hard to hate anyone so completely. This left Lena alone in limbo.

"Yes, now my my name is up in lights," she said, staring out the window of her apartment. "But I you got it right…" and who was she talking about? The ignorant citizens? Or the girl who still thought she and Lena were friends? The girl who could still sleep soundly at night? The girl who still had everything going her way? Who did Lena envy more? The normal people who never once had to worry about the things she battled with every single day of her life? Or the one whom she used to love who remained so blissfully ignorant to the pain she had caused? And maybe Lena was crazy enough to envy her old self, the one who never knew Supergirl. Or maybe she even envied her brother and mother, because at least the suffering was over for them. At least they knew where they stood. But did Lena? No. She was hopelessly and helplessly lost. Again.

_Let me tell you now, you're the lucky one._

_And yeah, they'll tell me now I'm the lucky one._

_But can you tell me now, you're the lucky one?_

_And can you tell me how I'm the lucky one?_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AN: This song really fits so well for the two main Supers and Luthors that I had to do a second chapter just to show it. It really is such a lovely and bittersweet song, huh?


End file.
